Leave it to Leonor #256

This week, I'm thinking about Michael K. Williams. When he died over two weeks ago, I received quite a few messages from people who remembered how much I love(d) him. Many people referenced the photos we'd taken together. I didn't share them then, but then lo and behold, an IG memory popped up from when I received the photos from photographer Nigel Parry

During my time at NYMAG, I met a lot of celebrities and "notable names" and as a New Yorker it is more or less in my DNA to be unaffected, but with MKW that was out of the question. (Also leaving me without any sense of chill: Pat Kiernan, but that is a story for another newsletter). When I found out that we were photographing him, I knew I had to go to the studio. My coworker who produced story couldn't go that day which made for the perfect opportunity for to be the magazine representative.

As we were setting up, I told Nigel why I'd chosen to come in during my vacation, and I like to think he found it amusing and not utterly insane. Years of not reacting to celebrities is the only reason I was able to be even remotely normal when Michael and his team showed up. He was warm, kind, and easygoing, as we went through all the normal photo shoot things including styling where I weighed in on things that did not need my two cents. Michael and his entire team were open to all our ideas. It was a wonderfully straight forward portrait session and Michael was a pro in front of the camera. He hit every mark and every frame was great. 

The entire thing went well and we'd gotten all the photos we needed when in a truly embarrassing uncle-like move, Nigel told Michael that I was a big fan and would he mind if he took a few photos of us together? I blushed from the roots of my hair down to my toes while Michael's entire face split wide open with a grin. He immediately wrapped his arms around me and pulled me over to the set as I died a thousand deaths. Despite this being my literal job, my mind went immediately blank and I didn't know what to do in front of the camera. Michael suggested we pose like this: 

Then because we couldn't hold in the laughter anymore, there was this: 

And finally: 

We wrapped the shoot then and chatted for a little while long before he and his publicist left. 

It's hard to write about Michael's magnetic energy, his charisma, the way he glowed from the inside. I know he battled demons and either because of or despite of those battles, he vibrated and those vibes enveloped those around him. I've never met anyone else like him.

It was the only time we crossed paths, but the experience stuck with me, he stuck with me. I am so grateful to have met him and to Nigel for these photos and saddened to be writing about this now. Even though he wouldn't have read this, it's a good reminder to give your people their flowers while they are here to receive them. 

​This week in reading. . .
Weirdly still working on the new Sally Rooney, even though it feels like the sort of book I would normally race through. My TBR is stacked to the skies, so I have no idea what I will read next, but I DO NOT NEED TO BUY ANY BOOKS. This is a public reminder for myself.